2005年NPR美国国家公共电台四月-A Daily Ritual: 'Prayers Like Shoes'

Now, Poet Ruth Forman lets us into part of her daily spiritual practice with her poem, "I Wear Prayers Like Shoes."

Now, Poet Ruth Forman lets us into part of her daily spiritual practice with her poem, "I Wear Prayers Like Shoes."

I wear prayers like shoes.
Pull them on quiet each morning to take me through the uncertain day.
Don't know what might knock me off course.
Sit up in bed, pull on the right, then the left,
before shower, before teeth.
They were my mama's gift to walk me through this life.
She wore strong ones, the kind steady your ankles I know
'cause when her man left, her children gone, her eldest¹ son without goodbye.
They're the only ones keep her standing².
I saw her, still standing.
Mama passed on some things to me: my smile, sense of discipline, my subtle³ behind.
But best she passed on:
"Girl, you go to God and get you some good shoes",
'cause this life ain't steady ground.
Now I don't wear hers. You take them with you, you know,
but I suspect they're made by the same company.
Pull them on each morning, first the right, then the left.
Best piece of dress I got.

Poet Ruth Forman is the author of the collection Renaissance⁴. She lives in Los Angeles.

1 eldest   

adj.最年长的，最年老的

参考例句：

• The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
• The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

2 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

3 subtle   

adj.难于觉察或描述的，精巧的

参考例句：

• Her whole attitude had undergone a subtle change.她的整个态度发生了微妙的变化。
• There's a subtle hint of garlic in the sauce.调味汁里稍微有一点蒜味。

4 renaissance   

n.复活，复兴，文艺复兴

参考例句：

• The Renaissance was an epoch of unparalleled cultural achievement.文艺复兴是一个文化上取得空前成就的时代。
• The theme of the conference is renaissance Europe.大会的主题是文艺复兴时期的欧洲。